1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rack mount computer systems. More specifically, cabinet structures resistant to racking deformation for rack mount computing systems are disclosed.
2. Description of Related Art
Many of today's more complex computing systems such as computer server systems are often rack-mounted systems in which a number of removable electronics modules, such as electronics trays, are positioned and stacked relative to each other in a shelf-like manner within a frame or rack. Rack-mounted Systems allow the arrangement of several of the electronics modules in a vertical orientation for efficient use of space. Each electronics module can be slid into and out of the rack-mounting system. Typically, the electronics modules are inserted from the front of the rack and various cables such as data cables, power cables, etc., are connected to the electronics modules at the front and/or rear of the rack.
Each electronics module may correspond to a different server or each electronics module may hold one or more components of a server. Examples of electronics modules include modules for processing, storage such as random access memory (RAM), network interfaces and controllers, disk drives such as floppy disk drives, hard drives, compact disk (CD) drives, and digital video disk (DVD) drives, parallel and serial ports, small computer systems interface (SCSI) bus controllers, video controllers, power supplies, and so forth. A server farm in today's computing environment may include numerous racks that hold various types of computer-related modules.
For maintenance and other purposes, it is often desired to remove an entire electronics module from the rack for servicing and then return the module to the rack. Oftentimes, the remainder of the server system is still in operation while maintenance is performed on a particular module or a particular component within the module. For example, when a component on a particular electronics tray is to be serviced or replaced, a service technician would need to remove the particular electronics tray from the server rack and then remove the server component from the electronics tray. In order to minimize system downtime and to reduce the effect of maintenance on the system's overall operation, the rack should provide fast and convenient access to the electronics module.
A typical rack includes four support columns forming the four corners of the rack. Pairs of opposing shelf supports or slide assemblies are attached to the columns to support the stack of electronics modules. The rack is often left open in the front and back sides in order to provide fast and convenient visual and physical access to the electronics modules by the service technician. In particular, for the service technician to gain full access to a given electronics module, the electronics module is slid forward away from the stack of remaining electronics modules in the rack. The rack can be optionally enclosed on the remaining two sides with side walls extending between each of the two pairs of the support columns.
Server racks or cabinets are typically U-sized where U is a standard unit of measure defined to be 1.75 inches by the Electronics Industries Alliance (EIA) for designating the height in computer enclosures and rack cabinets. Electronics modules contained within the server racks generally have a height in multiples of U's, for example, 1 U corresponds to a height of 1.75 inches, 2 U 3.5 inches, 3 U 5.25 inches. Typically the electronics modules mounted into most electronics racks are in the form of 1 U to 8 U boxes. Each box will have provisions for mounting it securely to the rack. The mounting is usually available at the front of the rack and often at the rear of the rack as well. When properly installed in the rack, each of the several electronics modules in the rack acts as an independent stiffener and helps in maintaining the rack's structural integrity and in aiding its resistance to racking forces.
However, in order to provide easier, faster, more convenient and yet cost effective access to the electronics modules for repair, maintenance and/or upgrade, some electronics modules may not provide the secure mounting mechanisms that help to stiffen the rack and thus maintain the rack's structural integrity and provide resistance to racking forces. Rather, these electronics modules may rely on an open and/or unsecured structure to enable an easily removable electronics module. As the electronics modules themselves may not be stiff and may not be securely mounted to the rack, the electronics modules may not contribute much, if any, resistance to racking.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for reducing the racking deformation of the rack mount computing system.